August 25th will mark the 70th anniversary of the Liberation of Paris during WWII. On that day, in a small office at the Gare Montparnasse, the German military commander of Paris, Dietrich Von Choltitz, signed the official surrender of his forces and spared Paris the street by street fighting that had completely destroyed the city of Caen in Normandy just a few weeks earlier.

But the surrender came at a price. Weeks of armed resistance by the people of Paris preceded the capitulation. Somewhere between 1000 and 1500 Parisians were killed in the fighting - and roughly an equal number of German soldiers. But it could've been much worse.

Von Choltitz was a veteran of the Eastern Front - and was the commanding General at the siege of Sebastopol years earlier. During that battle the city had indeed been methodically reduced to rubble - and Von Choltitz had been brought to Paris by Hitler for the expressed purpose of repeating that experience should the Allies break-out of the Normandy battle area.

Where heroes fell - Place de la Concorde

An Unlikely Hero EmergesOnce that breakout did occur in late July, Hitler began pressuring Von Choltitz to carry-out the systematic destruction of the 'City of Light', including the massacre of those who might dare to resist.

But Von Choltitz had recently met face to face with Hitler in his East Prussian headquarters - and had left that meeting convinced that Hitler had become deranged and delusional. Von Choltitz knew the war was lost - and decided to implement Hitler's plan as slowly as possible in hopes that the Allied army would arrive before he was forced to fully carry out his destructive orders.

Things began to change rapidly, though, as the resistance organizations of Paris - most notably the Communists - initiated an armed uprising to take control of the city. Unbeknownst to the resistance leaders, Allied forces commanding General Eisenhower had already decided to bypass Paris after the Normandy breakout in-order to avoid getting bogged down in the street fighting he feared would delay their move toward Germany.

However, the uprising by the citizens of Paris forced him to divert forces to the city to save it from a massive German counter-attack there, and the resultant destruction of the city.

Von Choltitz surrending - an unlikely hero

Paris SavedThe uprising began on the 19th of August - and raged until Eisenhower released a French Armored division to enter the city on August 25th, giving the citizens the force they needed to crush the Germans. Fighting continued for several days - but in the end Von Choltitz chose to terminate the fight, and not submit Paris to the wishes of Hitler.

As he walked through the Gare Montparnasse that day as a prisoner, he was spat upon by hundreds of angry Parisians. But little did they know that if not for his refusal to zealously follow Hitler's orders - Paris would've already been in ruins - and many, many thousands of her citizens would now be dead.

Today, you can still see evidence of the resistance battles all around Paris. Placards mark spots where resistance fighters fell - and many bullet scarred walls have been left as they were to serve as reminders of the bravery displayed during those August days so long ago. As you stare at those bullet-riddled walls, it seems as though the battle just ended, and you're compelled to stop for a moment - reflective and thoughtful.As well we all should be.

A specter is haunting Paris - the specter of automotive culture war. Okay, okay - my adapting the opening line of the Communist Manifesto may be a tad hyperbolic, but the battle being waged in the streets of Paris is rather interesting nevertheless.

Driving in Paris is not for the faint of heart. The streets are small, confusing, and jammed with thousands of motorists - all in a very big hurry. But driving is nothing compared to the challenge of parking.

People will park anywhere there is a space in Paris. In-fact, the city has taken to placing cement barriers on many sidewalks to insure they remain walks versus parks. And while the most common adaptation to this dilemma for many Parisians has been to simply choose a motor-scooter, the car driving population has gone in two opposing directions; big versus small.

The big usually means something American or German; the small something Italian or French. Mercedes versus Renault. Cadillac versus Fiat. But the overwhelming majority of cars in Paris remain small.

Indeed, seeing a big Mercedes or Cadillac still kinda' jolts me when I'm walking down a Parisian street. It's kind of like seeing a big oil tanker in the pond at your neighborhood park. But incredibly, they're there. And usually circling around looking for a parking place.

The small

I don't envy either of them - but in my very unscientific poll, I noticed many more parked Fiats and a fleet of circling Mercedes.

It is nearly impossible to find a bad baguette in Paris. And this really shouldn't be too surprising since, next to the Eiffel Tower, the baguette may be the most universally recognized symbol of France on Earth. In-fact, it is the French cultural ambassador par excellence. Some form of the baguette can be found in every corner of the planet, no matter how remote.

Yet, even though you can find a baguette everywhere - nowhere is it as good as it is in France. A good bakery in any other part of the world usually boasts that their baguettes are baked fresh daily. In Paris, most boulangeries bake fresh baguettes twice a day. At least.

To a Parisian few things are more disagreeable than to find oneself at dinner with only the morning batch of baguettes available. Quelle horreur! And for millions of tourists each year, one of the highlights of their trip is that first bite of a crisp, still warm from the oven baguette as they stroll down a Parisian boulevard.

Terra unique

But as good as they are, even a fresh baguette can start to seem somewhat ordinary after a while. Stay in Paris long enough and they start to fall prey to the 'if you've tasted one, you've tasted them all' syndrome. Oh, they're still delicious - but somewhat indistinguishable from one boulangerie to the next.

Fortunately, a new trend is emerging in France which provides a tasty antidote to this syndrome of ordinariness. I stumbled upon an example of this one day deep in the heart of Montmartre. I knew this boulangerie was something special the moment I walked in.

The GC stands for Gontran Cherrier, the culinary artist behind the creations in this delightfully offbeat boulangerie. And when you catch your first whiff of their signature curry baguette, you are transported. As you bite into a warm sample slice of this meld of east and west, the crispy freshness and subtle Indian flavor immediately seduces you. But your journey has just begun.

Follow your nose to the chickpea and lemon multi-grain baguette designed to accompany fish. Bliss. Move on to the focaccia blended with olive oil and aromatic herbs, the "gallette des rois" (traditional Epiphany cake) baked with pistachio, lime, and almond cream - or Panettone suffused with orange peel, lemons, raisins, and bergamot; each display becomes a spellbinding discovery.

Genius & genius

Nothing about this place is ordinary - and everything is delicious. And every genre of taste is accommodated. From paprika buns filled with cooked beef and coriander, to those filled with a vegetarian mix of marrow seeds and cumin - creativity and genius sings from each display.

And the fact that GC is not near a metro stop is a blessing in-disguise since it compels you to walk through one of the most charming, and truly Parisian neighborhoods anywhere in the capital.

Few tourists make it this far, which provides you with a truly original and organic slice of French neighborhood culture - and a surefire remedy for everything ordinary about visiting a Parisian boulangerie.Bon appétit !

A Day-Trip from ParisOne of the advantages of a vacation in Paris is the number of really cool places there are to visit as day-trips outside the city. The most visited of these is probably Versailles - but there's also Giverny, Chartres and Fontainebleau - all very interesting, and all full of tourists.

Yet there is one such trip that seems to have fallen-off the tourist radar screen - is close to Paris - and is an absolute gem. So if you're looking to get away from it all and still be in a magnificent locale, break-out your map and find Provins, just 40 miles southeast of Paris.

In 2001 Provins was named a UNESCO World Heritage site due to its rich history, beauty, and collection of well maintained medieval sites. And once there, the only thing you really need in order to traverse the entire city is a good pair of walking shoes - and a map.

Trains to Provins leave from the Gare d'Est roughly every hour (€18 round trip), and it's about a 90 minute ride with stops in a few small villages along the way. When buying your ticket, go to the window for the TER trains (Transport Exprès Régional) - not the SCNF window - since Provins is within the confines of l'Ile de France (essentially everything within a 40 mile radius of Paris).http://www.ter-sncf.com/weeblylink_new_window

Upon arrival at the train station there are buses available into town - but it is such a small and quaint village that I suggest walking to maximize your on the ground time. There are two basic areas to explore; the village of Provins (lower town) where the current residents live - and the medieval hill section (upper town) where you will see the majority of historical sites.

Le Tour César

The TowerThe walk from the train station to Le Tour César is a good place to start. This will take you through the lower village and up the hill to the historic medieval area; about a 30 minute, easy walk. And once up there, a trip inside le Tour César is well-worth the €4 entry fee, and a great place from which to see all of Provins.

From here you have a 360° view of the village and surrounding countryside. There is also a film presented on the history of the area - and the opportunity to wander around a real, well preserved, medieval tower. It's pretty neat.

Just below the tower is the 12th century Maison Romane, which now houses the Provins Museum. And just a few steps from the museum is the upper town's central plaza, which is a great place to find something to eat, or simply sit with a sack lunch while you watch the world go by.

Medieval FortificationsLeaving the plaza you will soon reach one of the highlights of the trip - the fortified walls built during the time of Charlemagne. Provins was the home to the Counts of Champagne during the Middle Ages and the principal location of the leading medieval fairs of that period. As such, it was in need of protection from brigands and foreign armies. Hence the fortifications.

Medieval knight's armies once paraded down these very streets and through the Portes (entry points through the walls) on their way to the Crusades. Walking along these fortifications today is like a journey back in time. And inside the fortifications, fascinating period performances are presented (e.g. The Eagles of Provins) that the entire family will love. And there's even a quite interesting (if somewhat gruesome) medieval weapons museum.

The Medieval Fortifications

The Lower VillageAs you eventually wander back into the lower town, there are two places of particular interest to see. The Notre Dame du Val clock tower dating from the 12th century, with a clock that still works. Also, St. Ayoul's Church close by - dating from 1000 A.D.

At St. Ayoul's be sure to see of the saints sculpted into the foyer of the main entrance. You will notice that each and every one of them are missing their heads; a little momento of the anti-clerical zeal during The French Revolution.

From this point in the village you are a 10 minute walk away from the train station. And along the way you will see some of the oldest wood frame houses still standing in all of France.

It is quite simply a delightful village - not swarmed by tourists (yet) - and a lovely place to walk and soak-up both history and charm. It will be one of the highlights of any trip to France, and completely doable as a day-trip from Paris.http://www.provins.net/weeblylink_new_window

Of the many day-trips from Paris available to the energetic traveler, one of the most captivating is an excursion to Normandy and the D-Day battlefields. And while you could easily spend a week in the area and still not have time to see all that there is to see - you can actually cover quite a bit of ground in one day. It is a long, demanding day - but if you have the inclination and energy, it is well worth the effort. Let's get started.

Our first stop is actually the day before your trip. That's when you'll stop-by your favorite delicatessen (traiteur) to pick-up the items you'll pack for lunch the next day. Your day will be way too busy for stopping at a restaurant - and there are many wonderful picnic areas along our route - so prepare a sack of your favorite goodies and get a good night's sleep; our trip starts early.

The Train to NormandyThe first leg of the trip starts at the Gare St. Lazare where you will catch the first train to Caen at 6:45am. Be aware that no food is sold on the train and none of the station vendors will be open at that hour either - so bringing some breakfast items isn't a bad idea. It's a two hour train ride through the beautiful Norman countryside with brief stops in two or three cities along the way.

You'll arrive in Caen at 8:45am and after walking outside you'll find all the car rental agencies just across the street from the train station (except Hertz - which is around the corner to your right). Pick-up your rental car and let's hit the road. And this will be the trickiest part of your day; namely, finding the road. You'll want the N13 toward Cherbourg. It can get a little confusing when you get on the freeway in Caen, but just remember, when in doubt - follow the signs that say Cherbourg.

German artillery at Longues-sur Mer

The Tour BeginsOur first stop is at Longues-sur Mer where you will find the only remaining long-range German artillery guns, still in their bunkers. To get there exit the N13 at Bayeux (sorry - no time for the tapestry today) and follow the many signs. The guns are in three well preserved (considering what they've been through) bunkers on an isolated cliff high above the D-Day landing beaches.

Not only are the bunkers and guns fascinating - but the cliff offers a panoramic view of all of the D-Day beaches. You are above Gold Beach with the artificial Mulberry harbor at Arromanches clearly visible off to your right.

In-fact, you have a better view of the Arromanches-Mulberry area from here than if you'd actually driven there. Since you won't have time to see all the beaches we'll head for the one off to your left - and by far the most interesting - Omaha Beach.

American Cemetery at Coleville

The American D-Day CemeteryThe road just behind you is the D514, where you'll turn right toward Port-en Bessin. Pass through this quaint village and continue on to Colleville-sur-Mer (10km total)where you will find the American D-Day cemetery beautifully laid-out on the cliffs above Omaha Beach.

I think the best word to describe this experience is sobering. Here you will see the final resting place of over 9000 American soldiers killed during the two-month long battle of Normandy. There is also an excellent Visitors Center with many fascinating items from the invasion and an excellent documentary film focusing on some of the men buried there.

Also - near the parking lot and down the ridge toward the beach - you can still see several German machine gun emplacements. It's a reminder that some of the heaviest fighting on D-Day took place right where you're standing.

When you leave the cemetery you'll be back on the D514 heading toward St. Laurent (5km). Turn right at St. Laurent and follow the signs to Omaha Beach (1km).

When you reach the beach turn left and follow the beach road as it traverses the full length of Omaha Beach. To your left are the ridges where the Germans were dug-in, and to your right Omaha Beach. At the end of the road you will be at Vierville.

Private Ryan's Dog-Green Sector

Omaha BeachThis is where I suggest getting out and taking a walk on the beach - for this is the location of the famous Dog-Green sector featured in the film Saving Private Ryan. As you stand at the water's edge here and face the cliffs in front of you, you can easily imagine the terror of that June day in 1944.

When you leave here, follow the road as it goes up the hill, away from the beach and back to the D514. At the corner is a small D-Day museum well worth the €5 admission fee. Spend some time here (but not too long) and then hit the road again.

Continue following the D514 (turn right out of the museum parking lot) and after 5km you will reach Point du Hoc - the famous cliffs scaled by the U.S. Army Rangers on D-Day. Here is a location where it seems as though the war ended just months ago.

Bomb crater at Point du Hoc

Point du Hoc - The Ranger's AssaultAs you walk out to the Point you will see not only the remains of many German bunkers and artillery emplacements - but the still existing craters left by the Allied bombs trying to knock-out those guns.

Standing on the cliffs - behind the barbed wire - and looking down at the beach below - you can only be amazed that men climbed it at all; let alone under enemy fire. You can also explore several intact German bunkers here - and see the exact view the Germans had on that day. As you head back to your car there is a pleasant picnic area near the Visitors Center where that lunch you brought will really come in handy about now.

Upon leaving Point du Hoc you will again be on the by now familiar D514 where a short 4km ahead you'll reach Grandcamp-Maisy and the Army Rangers museum.

Or - if you've had enough of museums for the day - you'll also see several places along the way where you can stop and sample the local Calvados. But if you do - just remember you have some more narrow Norman road driving ahead of you.

German CemeteryNow we are headed for our last stop on our day-trip. From Grandcamp-Maisy you will leave the D514 and take the D199 (there's only one direction to choose - so this one's easy) until you reach the D113 - where you'll take that road in the direction of La Cambe (left). While driving you will be passing through some beautiful countryside filled with the famous hedgerows that complicated the Allied thrust during the Battle of Normandy.

German Cemetery at La Cambe

At La Cambe you will find one of the more interesting - and least visited - sites having to do with the battle; the German military cemetery. Here you will see the final resting place of over 9000 German soldiers killed in the Battle of Normandy. And walking along the rows of grave markers you will be struck by the number of 17 and 18 year old soldiers who rest there. Another sobering reminder of war's cruel harvest.

Also at the cemetery is an extremely interesting and well organized Visitors Center called The Peace Center. In one of the display cases you will seen the personal affects of three German soldiers buried in the cemetery - complete with pictures from their wallets.

It brings a face to an enemy we seldom see and reminds you that in-spite of everything - these were young men not so very different from those buried at Colleville-sur-Mer.

True - they fought for one of the worst causes ever - but they were brave young men- with friends and family - just like those resting a few miles down the road.The cemetery is located just next to highway N13, which will take us directly back to Caen (1 hour) - where it is now time to head. All the car rental agencies close at 7pm (so be careful to not cut that too close) and our train back to Paris is at 7:45pm.

Caen today; a scar of newness

Caen and the return to ParisOnce you drop-off your car you should have enough time to walk to the Orne River three blocks behind the train station. Take a stroll through this area and notice that even though you are in one of the oldest cities in France - there is hardly an old building to be found.

And this is your last battle scene - for Caen was the site of some of the heaviest fighting of the entire Normandy campaign. Indeed - the city was virtually destroyed - which is why everything looks so new - including all of the bridges.

In a way, the "newness" of Caen is like a scar on the face of Normandy. A scar which should constantly remind us of the cost of war.Back to the train station for the 7:45 departure to Paris - which gets you back to St. Lazare at 10pm. Yes - it's a long day. But one you will remember always - and definitely worth the effort.

A Forgotten GemThere really is no wrong choice when planning a trip to France. It's a country that seems to have something for everyone within the confines of the Texas sized hexagon; from the sensual allure of Provence, to the gastronomical joys of Burgundy and the dazzle of Paris - France has it all.

Yet in-spite of its world-wide notoriety as the home to possibly the world's best wines - Bordeaux seems to have fallen off the radar screen of many Gallic itineraries.

The city itself often seems just an afterthought when scouting la carte des vins at a nice restaurant elsewhere in France. And so this world-famous name has oddly become one of France's best kept secrets. But in reality, Bordeaux is a wonder, and a very pleasant surprise for the intrepid traveler.

A City for Walking One of the most delightful things about visiting Bordeaux is its pedestrian friendly core. Many of the major streets here are for walking only and completely free of cars.

One of many arcades

Yet getting around is a breeze with the city's 'state of the art' tram system. The modern tram is the world's first to incorporate a French developed technology which eliminates overhead wiring. The aesthetic impact of this is a wonderful freeing of the sight-lines throughout the left-bank (the city is built on both sides of the Garonne) core of the city.

Walking through the left bank neighborhoods, one will find old city areas with buildings many hundreds of years old as well as the more modern area from the 18th century with its magnificent Versailles style architecture. Cathedrals, museums, remnants of Roman occupation - it's all here.

And the cherry on top is without doubt the magnificent quai with the Garonne River on one side and the Place de la Borse on the other. Here you can amble for more than a mile amidst the beautifully landscaped gardens - where you're welcome to sit on the grass - and the magnificent white stone buildings which create an unbroken vista of 18th century splendor. And amazingly - you will see none of the graffiti which scars nearly every wall in Paris these days.

The Water MirrorThe crown jewell of a walk along the quai is a fountain unlike any other you have ever seen. Called the Miroir d'Eau (the water mirror), it was placed in front of the square at the Place de la Bourse with the intent of creating two plazas; and so it seems to the eye. It is one of the most spectacular things you will ever see - and it alone is worth a visit to Bordeaux. No photograph can do it justice.

Add to this an atmosphere of truly warm - and proud - hospitality, and you have a destination that will be one of the highlights of any trip to France.

A sense of art pervades

Named by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site - the Bordeaux Tourism Office has become a quite active center of efforts to promote visits to their city. They offer tour packages and itineraries that are an absolutely magnificent value.

A City That Makes an EffortYou can arrange a two or three day visit through the Tourism Office which includes hotel, meal discounts, guided walking tours of the city, guided tours of the wine region (both in French and English - and both excellent), free tastings at wine shops around the city, passes to several museums, complimentary tram tickets - and even a gift basket with a bottle of one of Bordeaux's finest. And the range of prices available for the different tourist packages offered will accommodate any budget. Unlike the Office of Tourism in most cities, the one in Bordeaux is actually a beehive of activity and a key component to getting the most from a trip to the city.

Urban sensibilities abound

So if you're burned-out on the ubiquitous mobs, exorbitant prices, graffiti scarred walls, and less than pleasant odors of Paris, Bordeaux may be the perfect antidote.

All in all, Bordeaux is just a wonderful place to visit. Sophisticated, beautiful, and inexpensive - it really has it all.

Ahhh - Paris. The most beautiful city on Earth - and the number one tourist destination too. More people visit Paris each year than any other travel destination. How many? Statistics vary (for some unknown reason) from 35 all the way up to 58 million annual visitors. But whatever the actual figure is - it's a lot. I mean, consider that the leading attraction there - Notre Dame Cathedral - in 2008 saw 13 million visitors. That's over a million a month. And every year sees more. Many more.

I love Paris. I could write 15 pages on just the things that are great about the 'city of light'. But every time I visit, the increase in the number of tourists is clearly noticeable. The first time I visited the Musée d'Orsay (mid 90's) there was no line to get in and plenty of elbow room once inside. But on a visit this spring, I waited in a very long line for over an hour, and once inside it seemed more like a packed metro station than a museum. And this is true of all the major venues. There are mobs of tourists all over Paris now.

And today - the art of the masses

You Call That Love?As bothersome as this is, an even more troubling development, which I first noticed 3 years ago, has now developed into a full-blown plague. It's graffiti. And not just your average spray-can variety left by local teens - but tourist-generated graffiti. And the irony is that the tourist graffiti is ostensibly a sign of each tourist's love of the beauty of Paris.

It first started less than 5 years ago. I was walking across the Pont des Artistes - a pedestrian-only bridge on the Seine - when I noticed 3 or 4 padlocks in the bridge's grilled wall. And on each padlock was written the names of two lovers. After inquiring, I was told they'd been locked there as a sign of the lovers' unbreakable bond to each other - and to Paris. "Interesting", I thought. Even a tad romantic. And I forgot all about it.

Then - as I walked across the same bridge a few months ago - I was stunned to see not just 3 or 4 such signs of "love" - but literally hundreds. Padlocks of every imaginable variety and color, each with names written on them - and each permanently sealed in-place. And what had once been a simple, and delightfully artistic grilled-wall, was now a cluttered monstrosity resembling more a junk-yard than anything else.

The cancer spreads

Et Tu Bruté?And like any plague - it is now spreading. Each and every bridge in central Paris with such a wall is now being targeted by these "lovers" of the city. And the cumulative impact of this love-fest is the slow, methodical destruction of one of the great works of art in Paris; the sublime simplicity of her bridges.

In his book The Revolt of the Masses, Jose Ortega y Gasset asserted that the advent of the consciousness of 'mass man' as a social phenomena is new to the age of industrialism. And further, that this 'mass man' intervenes in everything - and that this intervention is solely by violence.

When I first read that in college, I didn't understand what he meant. But now, each time I walk across the Pont des Artistes (once upon a time, my favorite), I not only understand, but I also mumble a quiet, "Amen". Sadly.

In November of 1942 Léopold Trepper walked into his dentist's office in occupied Paris and was promptly arrested by the Gestapo, who were laying in-wait.

Trepper was no ordinary dental patient. The Germans had spent the last two years frantically looking for him, and that day in 1942 was a cause for celebration at Gestapo Headquarters in Berlin. Why? Because LéopoldTrepper (a Polish Jew) was the head of the Soviet spy ring in Paris which the Germans had nicknamed Die Rote Kapelle (The Red Orchestra) - and which had caused them much grief since the beginning of the war.

The Dance BeginsThe Gestapo had nicknamed Trepper "The Big Chief" - and once captured he was treated with 'kid gloves' because their goal was to have him switch sides and work for the Nazis. So Trepper was not tortured for information, as so many others before had been.

He was taken to Gestapo Headquarters in Paris and given a fairly comfortable room - under close supervision - and the process of wooing him to their side began. For if the Gestapo could win him over, then they could feed the Soviets false information through Trepper and turn their own tool against them.

Realizing the Nazis were more interested in trying to flip his loyalties than in killing him, Trepper played along, giving them just enough information to let them think they were winning this high-stakes game. But he realized that his ruse of cooperation could not last forever; that he would have to escape before his usefulness expired, for once that happened, his days of relative comfort would be at an end.

Gestapo headquarters today

Laying the GroundworkAs time went on, both jailers and the jailed became more at-ease with each other. His Gestapo handlers began to relax a bit - and they started working together in an atmosphere of, if not friendship, then of grudging collegiality. In-fact, one of the Gestapo agents had somewhat befriended him, and they often sat talking together for hours over a bottle of cognac - talking shop.

The agent drank a lot - and had confided that he suffered from horrible hangovers that nothing seemed to relieve. Trepper kept telling him of a "miracle cure" for hangovers he knew of - but it could only be procured at one particular pharmacy in Paris. He occasionally told the agent, "One day I'll take you there."

And sure enough, one day in September 1943 the Gestapo agent was suffering a particularly bad hangover, and he suggested that they go to the pharmacy Trepper had mentioned. It was called Pharmacie Bailly, near the Gare St. Lazare, and Trepper had chosen it because it occupied a very special location.

It was situated in a corner building and had entrances (and exits) on two completely different streets - the one not visible from the other. His original plan had been, once inside, to hit the agent over the head and bolt out the other door, so that those waiting in the car outside would not see him, and escape. But as luck would have it, this proved unnecessary.

In one side - and out the other

The EscapeAs the car pulled-up to the pharmacy entrance on the Rue de Rome that day, just Trepper, the agent with the hangover, and a driver were inside. They stopped in front of the door, at which point the Gestapo agent (who was feeling too ill to even walk-in) told Trepper to go inside, retrieve the medication, and then come right back out - to which Trepper replied "okay".

Trepper then walked into the pharmacy, crossed through the busy interior to the other door on Rue du Rocher - walked out - and disappeared. Once the Gestapo agent realized what had happened he brought in troops to search the entire building and neighborhood - but The Big Chief was gone - and he remained in hiding till the liberation of Paris in August 1944.

A Parisian Time Capsule As remarkable as this story is - I discovered something almost equally so the day I set out to see this corner in Paris. I simply wanted to see the area where this daring escape had occurred - but as I approached the corner I could hardly believe my eyes. There stood not just the same building - but to my great surprise - the Pharmacie Bailly itself was still there!

I stood for a long time staring at the pharmacy - imagining Trepper walking in one door - and - heart pounding - out the other. And my heart was pounding too as I walked into the pharmacy - stood silently and absorbed the atmosphere - and then followed his path out the other side - all the while attracting curious looks from the employees inside.

Yes - it's just a corner in Paris. But it's a corner with a tale to tell - and a fascinating place in a city full of fascinating places. And absolutely free to visit - and absorb. Corner of Rue du Roche and Rue de Rome - across from the southwest side of the Gare St. Lazare.

By the way - Trepper died in Israel in 1982 - long outliving his Gestapo captors.

The last stop in our quest to escape the crush of tourists while in Paris takes us to the Museum of Modern Art - Le Musée d'Art Moderne. And interestingly, this escape lies just steps from one of the most crowded places in all of Paris - the Eiffel Tower.

So you might think that this particular museum would be a quite popular and busy place filled with the very tourists we are trying to avoid - and you would be partly right. A lot of people do come here. But the overwhelming majority of tourists who come here come to see the special - temporary - exhibitions. We, on the other hand, will be visiting the permanent collection downstairs - which also happens to be free.

As you enter, ignore the line of people waiting to pay for admission to the special exhibits. Go down the stairs just to your left and you will find the free permanent collection. And the very first thing you will come to is the Salle Matisse. This exhibition salon was specifically designed to hold one of Henri Matisse's master works - La Danse de Paris (1931). The work is a giant triptych which fills one entire wall of the salon - and it is simply stunning. It is worth a trip to this museum just to see this work alone.

La Danse de Paris, Matisse

But you will also find some truly wonderful pieces throughout the rest of the permanent collection. Works by Maurice de Vlaminick and André Derain - and everything from paintings to ceramics to furniture.

The galleries are beautifully laid out - and just as at Le MuséeCognaq-Jay - you will occasionally find yourself completely alone - and never in a crush of tourists. All in all - a very pleasant way to spend a couple of hours; and crowd-free.

Well, there you have it. Five places guaranteed to relieve you of the stress of Parisian crowds - and still keep you active and involved with one the greatest cities on Earth.

To be sure, the crowded Parisian venues are certainly wonderful and exciting places to visit too. But at least now - when you just can't handle another hour-long wait in line, or another giant mob of visitors - you know you have options.

Our fourth destination (in our 5 part quest for escaping the crush of tourists) is in the heart of one of the most touristy, and crowded, sections of Paris - the Marais. Just one block from the Musée Carnavalet (the museum of Paris) is located another little gem of peace and calm known as the Musée Cognacq-Jay. It is named after the originators of the collection, Théodore-Ernest Cognacq and his wife Marie-Louise Jay - the founders of the famous La Samaritaine department store.

The museum is located at 8 Rue Elzevir inside the former Hôtel de Donon which dates from the 16th century and is itself a quite interesting architectural site. Cognacq-Jay is home to art from the 16th, 17th, and 18th centuries and the collection is utterly fascinating. Spread over four floors and twenty rooms, there are works of many genres here. Porcelains from China, ceramics, jewels - and an impressive variety of period furniture.

There is also an impressive selection of paintings ranging from Rembrandt to Cézanne and Degas. I was particularly drawn to the paintings of Jean-Baptiste Greuze whose realist style broke with the bucolic landscapes and portraits favored by the aristocrats of pre-Revolution France. Greuze's work is infused with the gritty realism and honesty that became one of the pillars of the emerging ideological current which spawned the French Revolution. There are several excellent examples of his work on display here.

The un-crowd awaits you

At one point I was quite surprised to stumble upon several pieces of ceramic from the late 1700's that were early precursors of the Art Deco movement of the 1920's. Apparently there truly is nothing new under the sun.

And while the museum is in the heart of the tourist-packed confines of the 3rd arrondissement, it has somehow fallen off the circuit of most visited places. You will not have to worry about navigating a crush of fellow travelers here. In-fact, I often found myself completely alone in several salons - almost as though I were on a private self-guided tour. It was great.

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I'm a writer living in the San Francisco Bay Area and Montréal, Québec - and this is my blog. Some of my writing is practical, some philosophical, but all of it generally accurate and occasionally amusing. You might stumble on a rant here and there - but otherwise it's a pretty relaxed, fairly interesting spot to spend a few minutes.Welcome.